Head-mountable assessment device, and method of using same

Abstract

A head-mountable device for performing an oculomotor assessment of a user. the head-mountable device comprising a mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus. an actuation mechanism operable to displace the mechanically displaceable oculo-motor stimulus relative to the user so to present the mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus to the user in accordance with the oculomotor assessment, and an eye tracking system configured to monitor an oculomotor response of the user to the mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus. The device further comprises a digital data processor in communication with the eye tracking system and operable to execute digital instructions for recording the oculomotor response to the mechanically displaceable stimulus presented in accordance with the oculomotor assessment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A head-mountable device for performing an oculomotor assessment of a user, the head-mountable device comprising:
 a mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus;   an actuation mechanism operable to displace said mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus relative to the user so to present said mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus to the user in accordance with the oculomotor assessment;   an eye tracking system configured to monitor an oculomotor response of the user to said mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus; and   a digital data processor in communication with said eye tracking system and operable to execute digital instructions for recording said oculomotor response to said mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus presented in accordance with the oculomotor assessment.   
     
     
         2 . The head-mountable device of  claim 1 , wherein said digital data processor is further in communication with said actuation mechanism and is operable to execute digital instructions for performing the oculomotor assessment by digitally activating said actuation mechanism to present said mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus to the user in accordance with the oculomotor assessment. 
     
     
         3 . The head-mountable device of  claim 1 , wherein said actuation mechanism comprises a manually manipulatable actuation mechanism comprising a user-manipulatable component which, upon manual displacement by the user, elicits a corresponding displacement of said mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus. 
     
     
         4 . The head-mountable device of  claim 1 , wherein said actuation mechanism is operable to translate said mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus in a direction towards or away from the user's eyes. 
     
     
         5 . The head-mountable device of any one of  claims 1 to 4 , wherein the oculomotor assessment comprises one or more of a vergence response assessment, a convergence insufficiency assessment, or an accommodation assessment. 
     
     
         6 . The head-mountable device of any one of  claims 1 to 5 , wherein said mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus comprises a fixation stick mechanically coupled with said actuation mechanism. 
     
     
         7 . The head-mountable device of any one of  claims 1 to 6 , wherein said actuation mechanism comprises one or more of an electric motor, a pulley, a belt, a cable, a threaded rod, a hydraulic or pneumatic actuator, or a cog. 
     
     
         8 . The head-mountable device of any one of  claims 1 to 7 , wherein said mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus is pivotably coupled with said actuation mechanism to provide said mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus in a retracted configuration or an extended configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The head-mountable device of  claim 8 , wherein said actuation mechanism is operable to mechanically configure said mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus in one or more of said retracted configuration or said extended configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The head-mountable device of  claim 8 , further comprising a retaining structure configured to maintain said mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus in said retracted configuration upon said actuation mechanism displacing said mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus to a stimulus retaining position. 
     
     
         11 . The head-mountable device of  claim 10 , wherein said extended configuration is provided by a force upon said actuation mechanism displacing said mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus to a stimulus presentation position. 
     
     
         12 . The head-mountable device of any one of  claims 1 to 11 , further comprising a digital display screen viewable by the user, wherein said digital display screen is operable to render a complementary two-dimensional oculomotor stimulus in accordance with a complementary oculomotor assessment. 
     
     
         13 . The head-mountable device of  claim 12 , wherein said mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus is retractable to provide the user an unimpeded line of sight to said complementary two-dimensional oculomotor stimulus. 
     
     
         14 . The head-mountable device of either one of  claim 12 or claim 13 , wherein said digital display screen comprises a widescreen display to render said complementary two-dimensional oculomotor stimulus horizontally displaceable in a wide binocular field of view to stimulate a complementary wide field of view oculomotor response thereto in accordance with said complementary assessment. 
     
     
         15 . The head-mountable device of any one of  claims 1 to 14 , further comprising a head-mountable housing that, when mounted against the user's face, defines an internal visual stimulation chambre therein for presenting the oculomotor stimulus. 
     
     
         16 . The head-mountable device of any one of  claims 1 to 15 , further comprising an illumination source to illuminate said mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus so to be perceivable by the user. 
     
     
         17 . The head-mountable device of either one of  claim 15 or claim 16 , further comprising an external assessment indicator externally disposed on said head-mountable housing and configured to output an indicator signal representative of one or more of an assessment status or a screening indicator corresponding with a health risk associated with the oculomotor assessment. 
     
     
         18 . The head-mountable device of any one of  claims 1 to 17 , further comprising an operator application digitally executable on a distinct operator device having an operator display screen and a communication interface to the head-mountable device, wherein said operator application comprises digitally executable instructions to render a graphical user interface (GIU) on said digital display screen and receive as input therefrom manual digital control of said mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus such that a stimulus displacement of said mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus corresponds with a manual displacement entered via said GUI. 
     
     
         19 . The head-mountable device of any one of  claims 1 to 18 , wherein said mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus comprises an indicium perceptible to the user and associated with the oculomotor assessment. 
     
     
         20 . The head-mountable device of any one of  claims 1 to 19 , further comprising a displacement sensor configured to monitor a stimulus displacement during the oculomotor assessment. 
     
     
         21 . The head-mountable device of  claim 20 , wherein said displacement sensor comprises a potentiometer. 
     
     
         22 . The head-mountable device of any one of  claims 1 to 21 , wherein said digital data processor is further operable to execute digital instructions for outputting an assessment response signal representative of said oculomotor response. 
     
     
         23 . A head-mountable device for performing a vision-based assessment of a user, the head-mountable device comprising:
 a head-mountable housing that, when mounted against the user's face, defines an internal visual stimulation chambre therein;   a mechanically displaceable visual stimulus disposed within said internal visual stimulation chambre and configured to be translated relative to said head-mountable housing in accordance with the vision-based assessment; and   an actuation mechanism operable to displace said mechanically displaceable visual stimulus relative to the user so to present said mechanically displaceable visual stimulus to the user in accordance with the vision-based assessment.   
     
     
         24 . The head-mountable device of  claim 23 , further comprising an internal eye tracker to monitor a user eye response to said mechanically displaceable visual stimulus. 
     
     
         25 . The head-mountable device of  claim 23 , wherein said visual stimulus is at least one of manually or electronically actuated. 
     
     
         26 . The head-mountable device of  claim 23 , wherein said actuation mechanism comprises a manually manipulatable actuation mechanism which, upon manual displacement, elicits a corresponding displacement of said mechanically displaceable visual stimulus. 
     
     
         27 . The head-mountable device of  claim 23 , wherein said actuation mechanism is operable to translate said mechanically displaceable visual stimulus in a direction towards or away from the user's eyes. 
     
     
         28 . The head-mountable device of  claim 27 , wherein the vision-based assessment comprises one or more of a vergence response assessment, a convergence insufficiency assessment, or an accommodation assessment. 
     
     
         29 . The head-mountable device of any one of  claims 23 to 28 , wherein said mechanically displaceable visual stimulus comprises a fixation member mechanically coupled with said actuation mechanism. 
     
     
         30 . The head-mountable device of  claim 29 , wherein said fixation member is retractably coupled to said actuation mechanism to provide said mechanically displaceable visual stimulus in a retracted configuration or a deployed configuration as the actuation mechanism is actuated. 
     
     
         31 . The head-mountable device of  claim 30 , further comprising a retaining structure configured to maintain said mechanically displaceable visual stimulus in said retracted configuration upon said actuation mechanism displacing said mechanically displaceable visual stimulus to a stimulus retaining position. 
     
     
         32 . The head-mountable device of  claim 31 , wherein said deployed configuration is provided by a force upon said actuation mechanism displacing said mechanically displaceable visual stimulus to a deployed stimulus presentation position. 
     
     
         33 . The head-mountable device of any one of  claims 23 to 28 , further comprising a digital display screen mounted within said housing for viewing by the user, wherein said digital display screen is operable to render a complementary two-dimensional vision-based stimulus. 
     
     
         34 . The head-mountable device of  claim 33 , wherein said mechanically displaceable vision-based stimulus is retractable to provide the user an unimpeded line of sight to said complementary two-dimensional vision-based stimulus. 
     
     
         35 . The head-mountable device of either one of  claim 33 or claim 34 , wherein said digital display screen comprises a widescreen display to render said complementary two-dimensional vision-based stimulus horizontally displaceable in a wide binocular field of view to stimulate a complementary wide field of view response thereto in accordance with said complementary assessment. 
     
     
         36 . The head-mountable device of any one of  claims 23 to 35 , further comprising a displacement sensor configured to monitor a stimulus displacement during the vision-based assessment. 
     
     
         37 . The head-mountable device of  claim 36 , wherein said displacement sensor comprises a potentiometer. 
     
     
         38 . A video-nystagmograph (VNG) wearable by a user, comprising:
 a head-mountable digital display for selectively rendering visual content to the user in accordance with a designated ocular test;   a displaceable visual stimulus selectively displaceable toward and away from said digital display in providing a variable depth visual stimulus to the user in accordance with a complementary ocular test; and   an eye tracker.   
     
     
         39 . The VNG of  claim 38 , further comprising a head-mountable housing that, when mounted against the user's face, defines an internal visual stimulation chambre therein, at the end of which is disposed said digital display and within which said displaceable visual stimulus is displaceable. 
     
     
         40 . The VNG of  claim 38 , further comprising an actuation mechanism operable to mechanically displace said displaceable visual stimulus relative to the user. 
     
     
         41 . The VNG of  claim 40 , wherein said actuation mechanism comprises at least one of a manually or an electronically actuated mechanism. 
     
     
         42 . The VNG of  claim 38 , wherein said complementary ocular test comprises one or more of a vergence response assessment, a convergence insufficiency assessment, or an accommodation assessment. 
     
     
         43 . The VNG of any one of  claims 38 to 42 , wherein said displaceable visual stimulus comprises a fixation member mechanically displaceable relative to the user. 
     
     
         44 . The VNG of  claim 43 , wherein said fixation member is selectively retractable and deployable. 
     
     
         45 . The VNG of any one of  claims 38 to 42 , further comprising a displacement sensor configured to monitor a stimulus displacement during said complementary ocular test. 
     
     
         46 . A method of performing an oculomotor assessment of a user, the method comprising:
 providing the user with the head-mountable device of any one of claims  1  to  45 ;   via said actuation mechanism. displacing said mechanically displaceable oculomotor stimulus in accordance with the oculomotor assessment.